Chapter 13

Will you Remember Me?

This is one of my favorite Chapters so far. I loved writing this one. And thank you for the critics. It helped, and im gonna update those couple chapters to make it run more smoothly. Ill tell you when im finished with it so you can tell me how you like the new ones. Enjoy this one. Anddd if it helps enhance the mood, play either your favorite slow song, or a kind of sad song when you read the middle to the end of this chapter, it does something to you. Hehe.

Kandice heard the ruffling of paper and the thumping of bare feet hitting the hardwood floor. Hers eyes slowly opened to see Jack rummaging around the room gathering his things and placing them neatly into his army bag. Kandice watched what would be the last couple of hours she would see her boyfriend and slightly smiled at him frantically looking for his socks. Jack turned with the sound of her snort and made his way toward her bed.

"Hey, yoah awake" Jack said, trying to make everything seem normal.

"Yeah." She giggled again and whipped her eyes with the back of her right hand. She was laughing so hard tears were rolling down her cheeks She took her palm and gently eased it over Jack's cheek. Jack's eyes closed at the touch of her soft skin. "Please don't leave. Let's run away so they can't find us, please Jack."

"Ya know I can't do dat." He looked back and forth between her eyes, then down at her lips before softly kissing them. He started running his fingers gently along her scalp, playing with her soft, silky hair. But ya know what whea gonna do when I get back?" He smiled at her suspenseful, teary-eyed look.

"What!"

"Weah gonna staht a family." Jack waited for her reaction to settle in.

"Oh my goodness! JACK!" Kandice screamed and she hugged him so tightly, Jack thought he was going to choke.

"Listen, Kandice. I love you so much. Since you been hea, I been da happiest guy on earth. I would nevah wanna do anytin ta hoit you. If you don feel dis is right, you can say no, but..." Jack took out a beautifully decorated small box and held it out to Kandice. Kandice opened it to reveal the most beautiful diamond ring she had ever seen. It was a silver band and a diamond right in the middle, with small diamonds on the side. She loved it, just as she loved him with all of her heart. Kandice gasped when she saw the ring and covered her mouth with her hands. Her heart was thumping with joy and nervousness as she knew exactly what he was about to do. He knelt on the hard floor and looked up at her. "Kandice, dis is a promise ring and a soaht of engagement ring. If you take dis, it means you promise to be my goil still when I get back from da woah. It also means maybe you would wanna be my fiancé when I get back?"

His heart was pumping faster then it had in his life and he didn't know why. He knew what she would say, but he wanted her to be his and only his, he didn't know what he would do if she said no. She was everything to him and he couldn't live without her.

Kandice looked at him with her hands still around her mouth and her eyes started to tear up again. She nodded first and then started saying yes over and over. She was completely sure of her choice and she didn't want to live without him either. Jack smiled and hugged her back. He slid the ring across the skin of her ring finger and she looked at it sparkle in the light through the window smiling with pure joy. "Jack!" Kandice yelled all of a sudden, she had just realized how expensive the ring of have been. "How much did this cost!"

"Nuttin. I didn't cost me nuttin cause it was me muddahs. She gave it ta me in her will and wrote ta give it ta a special lady in my life...when I find her. And I tink I have." He smiled at her and gave her one last hug before a changed expression dramatically came over him and he looked at Kandice as if he was remembering her face. She had remembered that face. It was the same face Mary had given her the morning that she was told she had to leave her house and move in with her mother.

"Jacky whats wrong?"

"Jacky? You nevah call me dat. I like it."

"Okay, I'll start calling you Jacky more often." She said while playing with his hair.

"Kandice, I havta go ta woah in bout an hoah." he said keeping his head down. The last thing he could do was look at her while he said this. "I ashoa ya me and Skittery will stick togeddah-"

"You and Skittery! Skittery was drafted too!" Kandice asked frantically.

"Yeah, you'se didn't know?"

"No I didn't know!" Kandice let out a groan and fell back onto her pillow. "First my boyfriend, then my best friend." Her eyes started to tear up again.

"Ya know what. I tink? I tink we should go down to da docks and talk a little befoah I leave. Wouja like dat?" Jack looked at her, trying to get her to stop thinking about it.

As the two walked down the creaky old stairs they heard the constant hum of a crowd outside. They exchanged glances, and walked out the door. Over 100 Newsies were standing out there from Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan all awaiting the signal to walk to the train station. They were chatting and laughing and getting to know one other, since they were, after all, going to be with each other for quite some time. Jack and Kandice started to walk by everyone heading towards the docks when Sam walked to the side of them, not realizing that it was Kandice.

"Sam!" Kandice screamed. They gave each other a big hug while Jack sat watching them, rolling his eyes with impatience. "How are you? What's going on in your life?" Kandice suddenly gasped. "Are you going to the war!"

"No, no no no! I'm hea ta stay hun. Why? Ah you?"

"No, Jack and Skits are going, so I was gonna see them off."

"Yeah same hea. I have a feelin weah gonna be seein a lot moah of each other durin dis whole woah ting." Sam and Kandice both laughed and hugged each other one more time before Kandice saw that Jack was growing impatient. She looked back at Sam and rolled her eyes herself and nodded her head in Jack's direction so Sam would get the point. "Well, ill be seein ya when everyone is leavin. I don't know how I'm going to take it. I'll probably be a big mess."

"We kin be a mess togedda den." The girls started to crack up and waved to each other.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you being so impatient all of a sudden."

" I dunno. Maybe its cause dis is da last time Ill get ta see me goil befoah I leave, and we have only a limited amount of time." Jack said sarcastically.

"Oh come on, party pooper!" She laughed at him, but once she saw the look in Jack's face she started to run as fast as she could towards the docks with him chasing right behind her. Once they were near the waters edge Jack caught up to her and grabbed her pulling her to the ground on top of him. She was cracking up as he tickled her and kissed her neck. When they started to settle down, she was lying next to him, looking out at the water.

"Hey I'se gots an idea." Jack said rubbing the tip of his fingers on her cheek.

"Whats that?"

"Well I had dis idea last night dat we could write how much we love each uddah in a bottle and trow it in da watah wit a rock, and let it sink to da bottom. Whenevah you wanna remembah how much I love ya, you kin look at it, and when I get back, we kin look at it togeda and see if its still da same. I know it will be da same foah me, but I don't know...all dese cute guys around hea." He smiled mischievously and she giggled.

"Oh shut it Jacky." She pushed him with her elbow. "You know I will always love you. And if it changes, it will be because I love you more." She kissed his lips softly and looked at him, studying his face intently.

Jack took a bottle from out of his coat pocket and a piece of paper and a pen.

"Boy your all prepared huh?" Jack slightly blushed and started to write on the piece of paper. "What are you writing?"

"Nona yoah business." He wrote for probably 10 minutes before giving the piece of paper back to Kandice. "Ya can't read it okay?" He said sternly.

"Ok, ok." She defensively answered. She took the pen and wrote on her side of the paper.

15 May 1930

Jack Kelly. What is there to say? He is my everything. I would be lost right now if it weren't for him. Honestly, I don't think I've loved someone as much as I love him. (Except for my dad of course). Last night was so beautiful. We shared something so special and I'm glad it was with him because I wouldn't want to share it with anyone else. We're getting engaged when he comes back, and the ring he gave me is absolutely beautiful, I never want to take it off. Now I can brag to all of my friends! He's so sweet. I don't know what came over me when I kissed Skittery. He is only a friend and I never meant to hurt Jack like I did. If he were to look at this, I would want him to know that I love him more then anything in the world and I will never love anyone more. He is leaving today for war, and I'm cherishing every little second we have left together. Because honestly, it could be months before we see each other again. I'm scared about what may happen out here. I'm terrified, actually. But I'm sure he will come back safe in my arms and we can start a family and be together all the time. I will miss him terribly, and that will never change. He will never know how much I truly love him until he reads this. I love you with all of my heart Jack Kelly.

Kandice

Once Kandice was finished she saw the tear drops that had plummeted down from her cheeks onto the sheet. She had been crying with the thought of Jack leaving and she couldn't help it. She rolled the paper up into a little scroll, and tucked it neatly into the bottle. Putting the cork on the top, she gave it back to Jack who kissed her on the cheek and stood up near the edge of the water. He threw the bottle a little ways after tying a rock to the bottom and the bottle floated for a couple seconds, then lowered into the water gently. Jack could see the bubbles rising from the bottle sinking and it reminded him of how he would be gone after today. He turned back around toward Kandice who was crying her eyes out now.

Watching Jack made her realize how much she loved him and she couldn't stand him leaving her like this. "Jack!" She screamed running over to him, "You can't leave! Please don't leave!" She hugged him and put her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating 10 beats per second and she got scared. "Jack What if you die? What if...What if..."

Jack put his finger to her lips to quiet her. "Kandice listen ta me okay?" He said looking her right in her eyes. Her watering, dripping, loving eyes that he could not bare to leave. "Kandice. I'm gonna go ta dis woah an I'm gonna come back, weah gonna get engaged, and have kids, and get oah own house, and live happily evah aftah. I promise" He said calming her. Although he was calming her, he couldn't help my feel nervous himself. What if he did die out there? What if something went wrong and he couldn't come back to her? She wouldn't take it to well.

Kandice looked down and slowly nodded, showing him she understood, but she didn't want to. Her tears ran down her face like rain that ran down a window. She raised herself on her tip toes and kissed him, gently and lovingly. It might have been the longest kiss they had ever given each other because by the time they were finished, it was almost time for Jack to go.

Jack grabbed Kandice's hand and led her back to the lodging house to gather his things and head off.

When they finally reached the house, there seemed to be more newsies out there then before they left. Jack looked around and saw Spot out there talking to some of his Brooklyn newsies.

"Well well well if it isn't da famous Spot Conlon goin off ta woah."

"You too Kelly?" He said smiling.

"Yeh, me too." They spit shook and Jack looked around at the huge crowd, still holding Kandice's hand behind him. "Lotta newsies, huh?"

"Yeah, I'll say." Spot said chuckling. "Hiya Kandice, how ya feelin? I hoid bout yoah little fall. You'se ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine. I'm tough." Kandice smiled. "How are you feeling Spot?"

"Eh, could be bettah. Im ready ta go kill some Russians." He laughed loudly with Jack and a couple of Spots friends. Kandice stared at them as if they were pigs.

Suddenly, the Military Sargent came by on his wagon and whistled loudly. "Okay! All Newsboys going to Russia, say goodbye to your loved ones and report to me!"

Jack slowly turned to Kandice. "Well dis is it." He took a deep breath. Kandice hugged him as long as she could, water pouring out of her eyes.

"I love you so much." Kandice whispered in Jacks' ear. "Be careful, and come back to me so we can start a family, ok?"

"I promise." He kissed her several times on her cheek and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I love you." Before he would start to cry, he turned away from her and started walking toward the wagon, but before reaching it, he turned back around and ran over to Kandice, looked in the eyes grabbed the back of her neck, and pulled her in for a kiss. Hoots and Hollers were heard from all the newsies, even Sam was whistling. When they stopped kissing, they just looked at each other for a couple minutes before Skittery came right behind her. His eyes were watering and he was looking right at Kandice saying nothing.

"Oh, Skits." Kandice said going in for a hug, embracing him and loving him as if she were his own family. "I'm so sorry for everything that happened, I didn't mean it to end like that and I certainly didn't want Jack to get mad at yo-"

Skittery cut her off by smiling slightly underneath his tears. "Its ok. Really, I don blame you'se at all. Can you just promise me youll be heah ta great me when i'se gets back?"

"Of course, Skits. I promise." She kissed him on the cheek and rubbed his cheek once before pushing him playfully and lightly towards his other friends. "Now get out of here before I start to really cry." She smiled and waved to him as he walked away with his bag over his back. She then turned back over to Jack who had tears in his eyes, but was trying to hide it from the other newsies.

"Aw..Jacky!" Kandice said. She grabbed Jack for another hug and was comforting him. "You'll be back before you know it okay? And were gonna get engaged remember?" She kissed him lightly on the cheek and wove through his soft hair with her fingers making him smile. " I love you so much" He nodded and turned around trying to toughen himself. She hugged Spot and some of the other newsies before she got back to Jack. He turned back to her and looked at her one more time.

"Hold out yoah hands." He said.

"What?"

"Just hold out yoah hands." Kandice putout both of her hands. "Ok, now close yoah eyes." Kandice did as she was told and closed her eyes. Jack placed both of his hands on hers and held them there for a couple of seconds so that he could remember her touch. He thin took his hands from hers and slid his red bandana inchingly over his head. And tied the bandana around her eyes and waved his hand in front of her face one last time.

"Can you see?" He asked looking at every angle

"No!" She giggled slightly. "What's going on Jack?" She was smiling with intrigue.

Jack didn't answer, but kissed her lightly on the cheek and whispered in her ear, "I love you."

"I love you too." She laughed. "Whats going on? Can I take this off?" She felt around a little. "Jackkkk. Come on." She giggled frantically. "Jack can I take this thing off now?" Her smile started to fade a little when he wasn't answering her. "Jack?" She slowly lifted the bandana to see that Jack along with all of the other newsies, were gone. She slightly smiled out of sadness and her eyes watered. Taking a deep breath she looked at the bandana and brought it to her chest, hugging it like it was Jack.

Suddenly, Sam came over to Kandice's side and put her head on her shoulder and the girls stood in silence. They took a deep breath and then start walking back into the lodging house. As they were walking upstairs, Kandice put her hand in her pocket and felt a piece of paper.

She slowly took it out and opened it. It read:

I love you, Kandice. Don't you ever forget that. I will be fine. I miss you already.

I love you so much,

Jack.

Kandice sadly laughed and tucked the note back into her pocket, to read whenever she missed him.

"I love you too" She whispered to herself as the girls went into Kandice's room and closed the door behind them.

What a chapter. I almost cried writing I hope everyone likes it! What a sad sad day. Jack and Skits AND spot are gone. What's a girl to do. Well at least Kandice has sam now. And the message in the bottle was so cute. I wonder if we'll ever find out what Jack wrote. Maybe it has something in it about who saw her and Skittery up on the roof! Hmmm

Hint: The boys have left and it's girl time! Or is it? Someone knew shows up in town, and it will be a major surprise to the girls.

-nini